[aprssig] time for APRS second generation network?

[Greg Noneman]

Phil,

Just curious...what six digipeaters can you get into with your tracker. 
  You must be in one choice  spot (or cursed, depending on your point of 
view).  I don't think I've ever been in a location that links to that 
many digis (including local digi sites, themselves).

Have any recommendations on which digis to eliminate (or move)?  I have 
actually been considering moving the Crestline digi to something at a 
lower altitude.  Its performance definitely suffers from being as high 
as it is and from seeing signals both north and south of the San 
Bernardino Mountains.  A lower site that caters specifically to the 
Inland Empire would be preferable.


73,
Greg
WB6ZSU


On Jan 5, 2005, at 12:36 PM, Phillip B. Pacier wrote:
....
> From my AD6NH station here in Orange County, CA, I can hit on the 
> average six digipeaters with my tracker (if the channel is quiet).  
> Driving in a low flat spot in the middle of the county, sending out a 
> beacon at WIDE2-2 produces about 10 returns on my D7.  Perhaps the 
> solution is to shut some of the digipeaters down for good, or convert 
> them to an alternate channel.  The reason why APRS worked so much 
> better back in 1998 when I started playing with it is not necessarily 
> because there were so many fewer users, but because there were so many 
> fewer digipeaters.  I used to be able to go 400 miles or better on two 
> hops with a high rate of success.  And no one has challenged the basis 
> of this whole topic - digipeater QRM.  There are too many digipeaters 
> in Southern California, and perhaps in some other areas.  Much of this 
> n-N paradigm and RELAY,WIDE discussion would be mute if we would just 
> turn off some of the digipeaters.  Unfortunately, some digi owners 
> have too much pride to admit that they would be helping the network by 
> removing a digi or two.  I have run into the same problem with some 
> IGate owners.  I'd be the first to shut down any part of my station if 
> it were causing QRM.  I used to run a full-duplex IGate until I 
> realized it was causing much QRM with Greg's established So. Cal. 
> IGate, and after some discussion I shut it down.  I don't want a pat 
> on the back - I want to know why the option of shutting down certain 
> digis has not been discussed yet.
>
> 73
> Phil - AD6NH